Arewa dissociates itself from Northern Coalition’s endorsement of Akpabio for Sen. President

Arewa dissociates itself from Northern Coalition’s endorsement of Akpabio for Sen. President.

Apex northern socio-political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has dissociated itself from a purported endorsement of former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, for the the Presidency of the 10th Senate by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG).

The CNG had, last week, endorsed Akpabio for the Senate Presidency saying he was best suited for the position

But the ACF, in a statement on Sunday during a press conference in Abuja, said they were against the endorsement of Akpabio as the Senate President as it would spell doom for the north as the former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs is not “friendly with the North.”

The ACF statement which was signed by a member of the Executive Council, Musa Saidu, said the CNG does not have the right to speak for the whole north.

“We hereby dissociate ourselves from the endorsement of Sen. Godswill Akpabio for the Senate Presidency by a coalition of Northern groups,” the statement reads.

“The Coalition is not speaking for the North, it is just speaking for itself. No true Northern group will want to endorse Akpabio for a sensitive position like that of Senate President because he is not friendly with the North.

“We are the people who know Akpabio because we are residents in the South, we know those who are friendly with the Northern people and Akpabio is actually not one of them.

Read Also: APC in North-West endorses Akpabio as Senate president

“I want to condemn the endorsement in its entity because it was done out of ignorance.

“It is also possible that the groups were given some inducement to endorse Akpabio.

“I want to say that the Northern people are not beggars that will be endorsing people who are not friendly with them because of inducement,” he said.

Also kicking against zoning of leadership positions in the National Assembly, Saidu said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should leave the positions open for experienced and competent candidates.

“Why should the All Progressives Congress (APC) be bent on zoning the 10th Senate Presidency to the South, when we have competent hands in the North?

“The North-West gave the APC the largest votes in the February presidential election, so why not consider somebody from the zone?

“I think it’s time for the party to reward the zone for the massive votes rather than start looking for somebody from the South as Senate President,” he added.

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